Media Thursday: Ryder Anderson, Zach Carpenter and D.J. Matthews

Below are partial transcriptions of Zoom press conferences with DL Ryder Anderson, OL Zach Carpenter and WR D.J. Matthews on Thursday, Mar. 4.

DL Ryder Anderson
Q. What have the interactions been like when talking with the team…
ANDERSON: It has all been good. Just getting here and meeting everybody. We have definitely had some jokes and chit-chat about the bowl game. It has been great these past couple of weeks and has been fun meeting everybody.

Q. Where do the coaches see you fitting in…
ANDERSON: I am probably going to be playing a lot more defensive end here. I could move inside depending on some different scenarios and packages, but I will primarily be at defensive end.

Q. Thoughts on the defensive scheme…
ANDERSON: I like the 4-2-5 a lot. This is the third or fourth defense that I am learning. I have played in the 4-2-5 before and it is a lot of fun. I like it and I feel like I fit well into it. Just getting into the playbook and learning how I need to do things here is my primary goal right now. It has been a blast so far.

OL Zach Carpenter
Q. On his leadership role…
CARPENTER: I've always seen myself as a leader. I think definitely getting some Big Ten playing experience has also been beneficial to that as well. Obviously, there are no fans, but I'm confident that even if there is, that I will be able to lead that offensive line out there.

Q. On the camaraderie on the team…
CARPENTER: It has been everything and more. This place is special. The culture here is unreal. The players have all been welcoming. I've never felt uncomfortable or anything like that. They have been here, taking me in, helping me out in any way they can. The coaching staff here is great. They really care about their players and they want the best for them.

Q. On his recruitment with IU…
CARPENTER: It wasn't difficult at all. Throughout the season Indiana Football was big. All over, national coverage, really put them in my mind for where I want to go. That is kind of a couple of schools I had in mind, but Indiana was always one. I think right off the bat nothing really changed. They were interested in me and I was interested in them, so it wasn't too difficult at all.

WR D.J. Matthews
Q. On WR Ty Fryfogle and the Indiana receiving corps…
MATTHEWS: I was excited when I saw that Ty post that he was coming back. It gave me a lot of confidence that we will have older guys in the room, willing to lead and take the next step.

Q. On his impressions of the team and Bloomington…
MATTHEWS: I'm a Florida kid, so when I first got here, it took me a few weeks to get adjusted to the weather, it was cold, but it was good. As far as the team locker room and environment, it's great. I'm just happy I got the opportunity to be around so many guys that are willing to work and pursue the dream, chase everything, chase greatness.

Q. On his role on the team…
MATTHEWS: My role is really whatever Coach Heard and Coach Allen want me to do. As of now, yes, they have me playing in the slot, but things could change during the season or game planning. I'm just here to play my role.

Media Thursday: Ryder Anderson, Zach Carpenter and D.J. Matthews

Players Mentioned

Ryder Anderson

Zach Carpenter

Ty Fryfogle

D.J. Matthews Jr.

Indiana University Athletics